A very cheap wacom Cintiq idea

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:01 pm

Hi guys, I own an old tablet pc, an Ibm thinkpad x41 tablet. It works very fine under windows xp, but it becomes slow on heavy projects (which is absolutely logical, it's an old slow computer).

When I have to work with heavier projects, by network I connect my computer to a faster one using Radmin remote control software. This software let you to work on the tablet, drawing directly on screen, but seeing the other computer. So you have all the power of the other computer on the old tablet.
It works awesome and you don't even notice you are on another computer. But it has just one inconvenient, you lose the pen pressure.

Yesterday, I checked my computer on e-bay. It's $112. I thought it becomes interesting and that is why I'm posting it here, maybe some of you could have a solution. Do you know if there is any way to send the pen pressure info of the tablet to the controlled computer?
If we could make that, we all could have a cintiq for 112 bucks!

I suppose it *shouldn't* be too difficult, maybe there could be an open software on each computer, one sending and the other receiving the pen pressure info and making "think" the controlled computer there is a wacom working.

What do you think?
I believe it can be really huge.

Styla · Post by **Styla** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 9:32 pm

I were not even aware of that we can use two computers in such a way, interesting. But what you are asking seems difficult to me because you are taking from another computer not sending, right?

madrobot · Post by **madrobot** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:40 am

Why not just draw on the tablet, then save to the desktop machine over a wireless network?

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:29 pm

madrobot wrote:Why not just draw on the tablet, then save to the desktop machine over a wireless network?

Because the desktop pc can be as powerful as you can, even if you buy the most slow old tablet.
That's the point, to buy an old tablet pc and get an incredibly cheap cintiq.

madrobot · Post by **madrobot** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:08 am

Fair enough selgin, I guess that kind of makes sense, but let me say this:
I am using an old acer tablet which a mate picked up off ebay for $200au, which probably half that in euros, drawing with the freehand tool and I'm finding that one of the great things about AS is it's such a light app it runs fine on the thing.

Can I make this suggestion - if you cant find some way to get the pressure aspect across to the PC, what about running VNC from the tablet, drawing and construction work done on tablet alone, then transfer across wireless network to PC, open VNC and setup render?

Just a thought. I agree pressure sensitivity is key.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:13 pm

This is a cool idea.

I've sort of been doing something similar. I don't have a copy of Premiere yet but my business partner does on his fast mac laptop. He can share that machine over high speed internet and I can work with Premiere practically in real time by controlling his machine. It's kind of a freaky "out of body" experience.

-vern